BUDGET plans were presented to the public last Thursday (9th January) at Caldicot Comprehensive School, with a lottery potentially on the cards for Monmouthshire.

Thursday saw the first of a series of budget consultation meetings designed to present Monmouthshire County Council's (MCC) budget plans for 2014/15.

MCC needs to save £9.3million for 2014/15 and £23million over the next few years.

It was reiterated at the meeting that the council will be focusing their resources around MCC's three main priorities: business and job opportunities, education and vulnerable people.

Presented at the meeting was a summary of proposed savings and their locations. It was proposed that £3.189 million would come from employee costs and £2.561 million from supplies and services.

Reduced grants to community groups would save £200,000, the dimming and turning off of street lights at designated times would save £180,000, with a reduction in street sweeping and pest control saving £195,000.

The public were also told that council tax would rise although it is not decided yet by how much, residents were shown that an increase of three per cent would generate £1.145million, with an extra one per cent generating £382,000 more and an extra two per cent generating £764,000.

School meals are set to increase in price to £2 which would generate £69,000. The council will also implement a rise in green waste charge with a bag increase from £8 a year to £10 a year to save £60,000.

The idea of a Monmouthshire lottery was brought up as a way to generate money. Councillors stated that "not a penny would leave Monmouthshire" and that although MCC wouldn't be funding the lottery they would enable it.

Despite a lottery for Monmouthshire being discussed at length, a proposal has not, as of yet, been drafted.

Councillors said that, following suggestions from residents at October's public engagement meetings, MCC will now charge the public for the use of internet and computers in libraries if they are non-members.

Council leader Peter Fox said: "Tonight will hopefully be a very helpful thing in going forward to set the budgets.

"The process is nowhere near finished and some ideas have changed since consultation last October.

"We've worked hard to minimise the impact on services, but we've really had no option in terms of council tax and I'm afraid it will go up."

Chief executive for MCC, Paul Matthews, said: "I'd like to remind residents that we are not proposing to close any schools, and there's no threat to Caldicot's leisure centre, library or one stop shop."

MCC are to set their final budgets at the end of next month.

The remaining budget consultation meetings are: tonight (Wednesday 15th January) from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Abergavenny Leisure Centre, Saturday 18th January at Abergavenny Town Hall from 10am to 3pm (drop in session), Monday 20th January from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Monmouth Comprehensive School and Tuesday 21st January from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Usk Centenary Hall.